CAIRO: Sheikh Youssef El Badry filed a lawsuit against the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRInfo), accusing the organization of defamation and libel for supporting poet Ahmed Abdel Moeti Higazy. The conservative cleric is reportedly demanding LE 1 million in compensation from the human rights organization. Higazy was convicted in July of insulting El Badry in a magazine article. The case against HRInfo evolved shortly after the organization released a press statement applauding Higazy for refusing to pay a LE 20,000 fine for depicting Sheikh El Badry as an enemy of freedom of thought and expression. According to HRInfo, Higazy stressed that he would not pay "someone who opposes freedom of thought and expression. On Aug. 8, a court decision forced Higazy to sell his furniture to cover the fine. The new suit is the latest in a string of legal cases raised by the Sheikh against various writers, intellectuals and poets. The suits usually come in the form cases of libel and defamation. One of the most famous cases raised by El Badry was that against Nasr Hamed Abu Zaid in 1993, which resulted in a court ruling demanding Abu Zaid divorce his wife. Abu Zaid immigrated to the Netherlands shortly after the court ruling. According to HRInfo and rights group International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), several cases brought by the sheikh against writers, thinkers and poets are still pending in court. This case is part of a repressive series to persecute advocates of freedom of expression in Egypt, but we will not sit down and bite the bullet. We do insist on supporting Mr Higazy and the independent press in Egypt. We will not cow down in front of these witch-hunting campaigns in Egypt, stressed Eid. In response, El Badry told Daily News Egypt that HRInfo "insulted him and called him a "terrorist . "They stand behind the poet who insulted me in his magazine and say that I am against freedom of expression. I am accusing them of libel and defamation for that. I demand my civil rights, El Badry continued. The case will reportedly be heard before a preliminary court in Cairo on Sept. 25. But according to Eid, the lawsuit "contains several distorted facts and unjust accusations against HRInfo and its executive director, including name-calling and criticism for defending imprisoned student blogger Kareem Amer. El Badry emphasized that he does not seek to "shut down the organization in the lawsuit.
